Traditionally conservative Golfweek magazine, one of the game's two national weekly magazines, is courting considerable controversy by putting an image of a hangman's noose on the cover of its next edition, writes Steve Elling of CBSSports.com.

As civil rights activists grumble over Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman's comment Jan. 4 about Tiger Woods, the magazine is unveiling a series of follow-up stories on the issue, which includes feedback from former network broadcaster Ben Wright, who was canned by CBS several years ago for making sexist comments.

But is emphasizing the noose, given its racist connotations and galling symbolism, a form of intentional journalistic pandering?

“There was a great deal of debate over it,” Golfweek editor Dave Seanor said of the magazine's in-house deliberations. “But it was the news of the week, no question about it. That's what everybody in the game is talking about.”

Tilghman, in a freewheeling and unscripted exchange regarding Woods' dominance with analyst Nick Faldo, suggested flippantly that players could “lynch him (Woods) in a back alley.” She has been suspended for two weeks.

“Clearly, what Kelly said was inappropriate and unfortunate and she obviously regrets her choice of words,” PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement yesterday. “But we consider Golfweek's imagery of a swinging noose on its cover to be outrageous and irresponsible. It smacks of tabloid journalism. It was a naked attempt to inflame and keep alive an incident that was heading to an appropriate conclusion.”

TRIVIA TIME

Who holds the Super Bowl record for rushing yards in one game?

FATHER KNOWS WORST

Upset that his 7-year-old son wouldn't wear a Green Bay Packers jersey during the team's playoff victory Saturday, a man restrained the boy for an hour with tape and taped the jersey onto him.

Mathew Kowald was cited for disorderly conduct in connection with the incident with his son at their home in Pardeeville, Wis. Pardeeville is about 30 miles north of Madison.

According to police, the incident sounded strange when reported at first, but the mother took pictures with her cell phone and that type of evidence is difficult to dispute.

ADVICE FOR THE LOVEWORN

Eva Longoria has some advice for Jessica Simpson.

Longoria, who is married to San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker, says Simpson is taking unnecessary heat from Dallas Cowboys fans who blame the 27-year-old singer's weekend trip to Mexico with her boyfriend, quarterback Tony Romo, for the Cowboys' defeat by the New York Giants.

“People gave me that . . . when I started dating Tony,” Longoria, star of ABC's “Desperate Housewives,” said in an interview with E! Entertainment Television's “Daily 10.”

“If he had a bad game they'd blame me. If he, uh, you know, had an injury, it's like, 'What did you do to him?' ” the 32-year-old actress said, laughing.

“Believe me, they are not thinking about us when they're on the court, when they're on the field,” she said of Parker and Romo. “It's like they've got more important things to do.”

PARTING SHOT

Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel on rookie Joakim Noah being suspended by his own teammates on the Chicago Bulls:

“It makes you wonder just how much the other players must dislike Noah if they go to this extreme. Seriously, when was the last time you heard NBA players standing up for law and order?

“Noah has accomplished something not even the biggest villains in NBA history ever accomplished. Latrell Sprewell, Ron Artest, J.R. Rider, Dennis Rodman? None of them was ever voted off the island by teammates.”

TRIVIA ANSWER

Timmy Smith of Washington, who gained 204 yards rushing against Denver in Super Bowl XXII, which was played in San Diego on Jan. 31, 1988.